Author
Topic: Actuator (Read 3002 times)

I am building a movable robotic arm and the arm weighs about 1~2 lbs so would what would I use to lift the arm up and down. I dont want to spend $100+ on a servo that would lift it so what would I use.... an actuator? Plz help.

Well the amount your going to have to pay depends on how many Degrees of Freedom(DOF) you want your robotic arm to have. Different strength servos/actuators will be needed for different parts of the arm. Describe your arm a little bit better.

example:"The base can turn 360° on the Y-Axis. The arm can move 90° up and down on the Z-Axis at the base. There is a single elbow that can turn 180° on the X axis and 180° on the Z-Axis. Then at the end is the hand which can turn 360° on the X-Axis at the wrist."

-EDIT-Axis description when looking from the front:X: Side to sideY: Top to bottomZ: Forward and back

Well this arm is actually going to have a small rototiller at the end. Its not very big.. its more like a prototype. So i want the base to spin 360. The arm does not have a pivot point in the middle. It is pretty much a bent steel bar. The rototiller will be able to tilt up and down to adjust to differnet ground levels.

Rototillers are typically just a motor with spinning spikes attached to it more or less. Are you saying yours has a motor that is not directly attached to it? Perhaps pictures of what youre trying to do would help

this rototiller is very small. The motor of it is really just a small 7.2 volt socket drill. It has a lot of torque and descent speed. This thing only weighs 1-2 pounds. do you still think we need hydroulics.Do you think we could put a actuator under the arm to lift it up and down instead of having a pivot point on the arm that would take all of the weight. wouldnt it be easier to lift from the bottom than a pivot on the arm.